


Happily Ever After

by magickalmolly



Category: The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-08
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-15 15:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9240641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magickalmolly/pseuds/magickalmolly
Summary: Merry and Pippin share a quiet moment before a great celebration.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Pippin is 94 and Merry is 102 (yes, you read that right). Based somewhat on canon dates (Merry and Pippin leave the Shire in the spring of 1484). 
> 
> Originally written November 27, 2002.

The Took and Thain of the Great Smials sat at his large wooden desk, reading over a bit of work he wished to get out of the way before the Beltane celebration. Outside his window, the sun shone brightly, spilling across the grass, making the normally green landscape vibrant. He paused in his reading, looking up to the window and smiled as he watched a butterfly gently flutter past. The smile made his deceivingly youthful face appear even more so, and one was hard pressed to believe that this hobbit had passed his ninetieth year.

Letting himself get lost in memories, the Thain didn’t take notice of the light rap on the door and only turned his head when he heard his name being spoken.

"Master Peregrin, sir?" A chestnut-headed boy peeked his face in through the study door, looking around with curious eyes, having never before seen the inside of the Thain’s office. Pippin took his eyes from the window and looked to the little hobbit, which couldn’t have been more than five or six, smiling invitingly at him.

"Yes, child. Come in, come in... it’s all right." Pippin rose slowly yet gracefully from his desk, waving the lad in with one hand as he made his way around the desk. The boy pushed the door open just enough to wriggle through, meeting the Thain half way across the room.

Pippin kneeled down to the lad, wincing slightly at the stiffness in his knee. The young hobbit creased his freckled brow in concern, noticing the pale scar on the Thain’s shin as the edge of his breeches rode up over his bent leg. Seeing where the child looked, Pippin patted his hand over the boy’s soft curls, giving him a reassuring smile.

"I got this scar a very long time ago. I was playing in the rain." Pippin chuckled when the young hobbit’s eyes widened in surprise. "Yes, I use to play in the rain. And climb trees, and swim in the river, and get into all sorts of trouble."

The little hobbit giggled at this, covering his mouth embarrassedly with his chubby hands, fairly sure that laughing at the Thain wasn’t polite. But Pippin laughed himself, and the lad laughed with him then, twin boyish smiles on their faces.

A sudden loud snore from the chair by the fire made the two hobbits turn their heads in unison. A furry foot twitched where it sat perched on an old leather footstool, and Pippin placed a finger against his pursed lips, leaning in and urging the lad to be quiet. 

"Master Meriadoc is having his afternoon nap. We mustn’t disturb him." Pippin’s voice was low, and he rested his hand on the child’s slim shoulder. 

Leaning in close to the Thain, the boy whispered back, his face sincere, "Master Meriadoc takes an awful lot of naps, doesn’t he?" Pippin bit the inside of his cheek at this astute observation, holding back a chuckle. He composed himself quickly, clearing his throat and giving the lad a small wink.

"Well, my dear boy, when you are one hundred and two, you are allowed to take all the naps you want. But surely you didn’t come in here to ask me about that." The little hobbit giggled again, looking up into the Thain’s smiling face. 

"No, sir. I was sent to tell you ..." the lad fidgeted from foot to foot, trying to remember his message. After a moment, his face brightened. "I was sent to tell you that lunch was ready and that cook was waiting for you." He smiled proudly at this, relieved at having recalled what he was sent to say. Pippin patted the boy’s head again, remembering fondly a time when his now silver curls had been the same color as the child before him.

"Well, you tell cook that I’ll be there soon, and not to wait for me. We’ll be having a grand party tonight, and everyone needs to eat so they can finish setting up." Pippin gave the boy’s nose a soft tap, then turned him around and shooed him gently out the door, closing it behind him with a quiet click. 

Making his way to the hearth, Pippin stopped at the edge of the large wing-backed chair, one hand reaching out to gently touch the head of thick white curls that nodded there. His eyes crinkled with suppressed laughter as he took in the sight before him. Merry slept soundly, his once-despised spectacles perched on the edge of his nose, an open book lay across his lap, one hand curled over the full curve of his belly. Leaning down, Pippin woke his lover with a small kiss to his temple, smiling tenderly as the older hobbit blinked up at him sleepily.

"Oi... what time is it?" Merry sat up with a yawn, pulling the spectacles from his face and rubbing at the bridge of his nose with his thumb and finger. Pippin took Merry’s spectacles and set them aside, replacing the book in his lap with himself. Arms easily found their accustomed places; Pippin’s around Merry’s neck, Merry’s around Pippin’s waist; and the two gentlehobbits shared a soft kiss.

"It’s time for me to tell you I love you." Pippin whispered against Merry’s mouth, pulling back a moment later, smiling. Merry shook his snowy head at this, returning Pippin’s gentle smile with one of his own. 

"Will you ever not be the ridiculous lad I fell in love with all those years ago?"

Pippin grinned impishly, not looking his age. "I shouldn’t think so. And I’m far too set in my ways to change now." Merry laughed softly, pressing his forehead against Pippin’s and holding him close. Pippin nuzzled his face against Merry’s cheek, and for a long moment it was as if they were young again, just beginning their lives together. 

"Happy anniversary, Merry-mine." 

"And to you, Pip. And to you."

~fin~


End file.
